


Love of the game

by kitundercover



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Cute, First Meetings, M/M, Meet-Cute, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-31
Updated: 2016-01-31
Packaged: 2018-05-17 10:19:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5865562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kitundercover/pseuds/kitundercover
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU. Harry's won tickets to see Spurs, and more importantly, to see Niko Kranjčar, hottest footballer of all time. And what's this about Nico having a brother...?</p><p>Tumblr prompt fill - One shot</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love of the game

**Author's Note:**

> For [boboyaboo](http://boboyaboo.tumblr.com) who said:
> 
> Remember that football player that looks like Louis’ hot older brother? His name is Niko something.
> 
> I need a fic where Harry is a big fan of the team that Niko plays for and eventhough Niko is not his favorite player on the squad, Harry got a big crush on him because he is a sucker for that kind of face although Niko is a bit too tall (or whatever reason) for his usual type. Anyway, Harry won a competition where a group of fans were given a VIP ticket to sit in the family and friends booth for a game and instead of being all hyped up for his team kicking ass out there Harry couldn’t seem to take his attention away from Niko’s younger brother who happens to be a compact version of Niko with a sunshine smile and devastating crinkles by his eyes.
> 
> Whatever, I just want a fic where Niko is Louis’ older brother.

Harry loved football, ok?

He loved football and he wasn’t about to apologize for that, no matter how much Niall mocked him. Anyway, he was just jealous that he couldn’t come.

Harry curled his fist around the precious ticket tightly and weaved through the throngs of middle-aged dads and loud teenagers, all of them decked out in their navy blue and white Spurs scarves.

Ok, so maybe Harry had been a little bit overexcited when he’d won VIP tickets to see the premier league match against Bournemouth. He may even have screamed directly into Niall’s ear, prompting a 30 minute sulk from his normally cheerful flatmate, but it wasn’t his fault! Spurs were playing their best lineup, their _very_ best lineup. And their very best lineup was _Niko fucking Kranjčar_.

Holy shit, Harry was about to see Niko Kranjčar. Up close, in the flesh Niko Kranjčar. Sure, the man was arrogant as fuck and far too tall for Harry’s tastes and yeah, maybe a little bit of a dickhead to his quite frankly stunning girlfriend but… Niko Kranjčar.

Niko Kranjčar, with cheekbones that could actually kill and the cutest little nose and those eyes. Jesus when he remembered to smile the man had eyes like sunshine.

Harry followed the directions on his ticket, navigating to a subtly placed security guard who examined it with silent, serious scrutiny. He bounced nervously. _Please be a real ticket. Please don’t be a dream._

The guard gave him a once over and nodded. “You’re in the VIP box with friends and family.” He nodded his head, “through that way and to the left.”

_Yes! Not a dream!_

Shit this was actually happening. _Shit_. What if Niko was there with his family? What if he was in his training gear? What if he was shirtless??

_Stop it Harry._

He shook his head and followed the vague directions. Niko would be getting ready with the rest of the players, no point in thinking about it. But he might come up to them afterwards, and Harry might get an autograph. He might even get to talk to him.

Harry grinned. And in the meantime, he got to watch Spurs flatten Bournemouth.

There was another security guard on the door to the box, and after more twitchy waiting, he was finally through into a large, empty room. He turned a slow circle, skimming his eyes over a row of comfy-looking blue chairs by the glass-fronted wall and out over the pitch - it looked so small from up here – and wow, champagne.

He snagged a glass happily and chose a seat, letting his mind wander.

He was halfway through a soon-to-be-satisfying daydream about Nico, a football and a laundry chute when the door opened and a group of chattering, well-dressed, and disturbingly beautiful people came in. Some of them he recognized as family and partners of the players, others were presumably contest winners like himself. They grabbed their own glasses of champagne and headed towards the blue chairs.

“You don’t mind do you?” A beautiful brunet slid down daintily beside him.

Harry shook his head, dazed. Niko’s girlfriend. Shit. How was this his life right now?

“I’ll move when Louis gets here,” she continued, “he’s pretty excited about this one and I promised I’d get him a seat at the front.”

Harry nodded, hoping he didn’t look too vacant as she turned away to talk to someone behind them.

Holy shit this was real. He was going to get to meet Niko…

His thoughts were interrupted as the players finally started jogging out, the announcements booming through their box via a wall-mounted speaker. Harry watched with mounting excitement, almost buzzing out of his seat when Nico himself came on. It was a good lineup, he noted. They were definitely going to win. God Harry loved football.

It was five minutes in when Harry’s neighbour moved and he felt another presence plonk down rather heavily beside him.

“What did I miss?” The voice was soft and melodic and masculine. It was a nice voice, but Harry had game to watch.

“Just an offside – Dempsey. Bournemouth’s defenses are a joke.”

“Hmm.” The man hummed, and Harry could feel the weight of a gaze on him but he didn't turn his head.

“Do I know you?” The man asked.

 _Rude_. “Umm, no. I won a–”

An almighty roar came from the crowded stadium, startling Harry out of his thoughts as Bournemouth broke away, but Tottenham were quick to regain and Harry slumped back in his chair, relieved. He watched Niko’s hair bounce as he jogged away, letting his thoughts follow the man once more and forgetting briefly about his new companion. Jesus what a beautiful man. Pity he had no ass, but you couldn’t win ‘em all.

“Who’s your favourite then?” The voice asked, startling Harry back to the present. He shifted a little awkwardly. He just wanted to watch the game, not play 20 questions.

“Niko.” He said, keeping his eyes fixed on the man in question.

“Oh cool.” Movement caught the corner of Harry's eye and Harry suspected he was nodding. “I’m Louis.”

Harry nodded, trying to remember his manners. “Harry.” He responded, watching as Niko himself instigates a rather unfortunate pass back to one of the Bournemouth mid-fielders.

“Niko’s brother.” Louis continued.

Shit.

_Oh shit._

He didn’t even know Niko had a brother. Harry turned his head slowly and blinked.

And blinked again.

Oh my god.

Harry was dreaming. He must have been dreaming. Because he was looking at _Niko Kranjčar_ – only this Nico was smiling like he did it often, and his hair was spiky and soft-looking rather than slicked back, and he was smaller and sweeter and _fucking stunning_.

“Harry.” He said tonelessly, finally torn forcibly out of the game. _Shit._ Was it rude to introduce himself? Had he already introduced himself? Was his mouth hanging open??

Louis laughed, and the corners of his eyes crinkled up. Harry thought he might cry.

“I know love. Harry,” He listed off. “You won a contest to be here. You’re a Spurs fan and your favourite player is my brother. See, we know each other already.”

“Ok.” Harry managed weakly, because he hadn't known people _that attractive_  actually existed, and he certainly didn't know what to do when one of them talked to him.

The crowd roared again and Louis turned away, this time chatting to someone on he other side of him, and Harry did his extra level best to pull himself back together. Starting with closing his mouth. He shut his eyes and took a deep breath. He could do this he could watch this game and pay attention and enjoy it. He could ignore the fact that a soft-spoken, cuddly-looking, smiley boy of his dreams had just introduced himself, because he was Harry and Harry was strong.

The game went on, and Louis’ lilting voice chattered quietly to the person beside him. Harry could feel warmth coming off the man and he unconsciously shifted closer before he could stop himself.

His voice was mesmerizing, and now that Harry was actually unashamedly listening, he realised that he was articulate too - cheerfully and skilfully laying out both teams strengths and weaknesses. Shit, pretty and smart. Harry stood no chance.

He didn't notice the hush of the crowd, he didn't notice anything but Louis leaning forwards with his eyes lit up like the stars. 

Dempsey scored.

The crowd screamed.

Louis jumped out of his seat and Harry was still leaning forwards with what was probably a pretty creepy stare on his face. Only now he was at eye level with the most perfect ass he’d ever seen, and he can’t look away, and he’s pretty sure that Louis is looking down at him now and he can’t look away.

_Holy shit._

When Louis sat down again, the man was smirking and Harry had turned so red that at least there was no blood left in the rest of his body for any unfortunate reactions. No chance Louis hadn't seen that then.

_Shit._

“You ok Harry?” Louis asked with a smirk.

“Umm. I’m not—I, yeah.” Harry babbled. It was too late to redeem himself anyway.

“You sure about that?”

“Yeah. Yeah! Just umm. I mean—Yeah.”

Louis laughed and turned back to the game, leaving Harry a dizzy red mess. And somehow, Harry was  _still staring._

Oh god, what was wrong with him? He was been so creepy. He was staring at a complete stranger. He'd lost the power of speech. He was supposed to be watching the game and instead he found himself hopelessly torn between wanting to swing a leg over Louis’ chair and ride him right there, and wanting to take him home to meet his mother and bring him soup when he got sick and cuddle him when he got old and his bones ached.

“So Harry.”

Shit. Harry hadn’t even realized Louis was looking at him. He’d been trying to puzzle out the very tips of a tattoo he could see traced across the man’s, frankly, offensive collarbones.

“Louis.” Harry managed. Dragging his eyes up, and oh. Blue eyes. And that was even worse. Seriously. How could Harry be expected to have a serious conversation with eyes like that? And he wasn't even going to mention the cheekbones.

“You don’t seem to be watching the game anymore.”

_Shit fuck._

“No! No I am! I love football. Really.” He took a deep breath and nodded, trying to regain some dignity. “Really.”

Louis grinned. “I’m sure you do. I just wondered, seeing as you don’t seem to be watching all that carefully – and we’re going to win anyway – if maybe you wanted to come with me and explore a bit?”

Harry loved adventures, he really did, and Louis had taken ‘devastatingly attractive’ to a level that Harry couldn't fully comprehend, only…

His stomach flipped, and his heart leaped, and suddenly he was desperate for this to be more than just a quickie in the back of a stadium closet.

The crowd roared again, and Louis jumped up, moving away with a little wiggle in his step.

“Wait!” Harry reached out, catching the hem of Louis’ maroon shirt, suddenly feeling desperate. “I don’t want, I mean, I do want. I really, really, want… But I want umm… I want, other things too?”

Louis’ grin turned from wide and excited into something softer. “Ok then Harry. More sounds good to me.” He held out his hand. “I’ll make you a deal – you give me your last name and number and tomorrow we’ll go for lunch and you can tell me about this ‘more’.”

“And now?” Harry finally grinned back, the adrenaline fading into a solid warmth in his stomach.

“Now we explore.” Louis grinned. “And by explore I mean actually explore.”

The stadium jumped to its feet and Harry hesitated for a second.

“Come with me curly?”

Harry smiled and took his hand. He loved football, he does, but he was willing to miss a game, just this once.

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi :) [tumblr](kitundercover.tumblr.com)


End file.
